ACC: How to Determine If the Current Record Is the New Record

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

Microsoft Access has no built-in macro action or function to determine if the current record on the form is the new record. This article demonstrates a sample function called IsNewRecord() that you can use to determine whether the current record on the form is the new record.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Access Basic and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information on Access Basic, please refer to the "Introduction to Programming" manual.

NOTE: In Microsoft Access for Windows 95 there is a new form property called NewRecord that can be used to determine if the current record is a new record or not.

MORE INFORMATION

To use the IsNewRecord() function, add the following code to a new or existing module:

   '********************************************************************
   ' FUNCTION: IsNewRecord()
   '
   ' PURPOSE:
   '   Determines if the record in the active form is the new record.
   '
   ' RETURNS:
   '   True - If the record is the new record.
   '   False - If the record is not the new record.
   '
   '********************************************************************
   Function IsNewRecord ()
       Const NO_CURRENT_RECORD = 3021
       Dim RetVal
       On Error Resume Next

       ' Try to reference the bookmark property of the current record.
       RetVal = Screen.ActiveForm.Bookmark

       If Err = NO_CURRENT_RECORD Then
           IsNewRecord = True
       Else
           IsNewRecord = False
       End If
   End Function

How to Use the IsNewRecord() Function

The following example demonstrates how to use the IsNewRecord() function with the Employees form in the sample database NWIND.MDB to display the message "In the new record!" whenever you navigate into the new record: